Photo Albums

Television

December 16, 2008

But it has
changed out of all recognition since those distant days when only two channels existed
– BBC or ITV. Now we have a plethora of stations all vying for our
attention, and of alarming similarity, spewing outa diet of celebrity,
reality, cookery or mega talent contests. Everything has to be delivered in
an overly hyped way. This latter fact was brought home to me when I attended
a creative Summer School earlier this year. The organisers ran an episode
of the 1970s series, ‘The Accent of Man’ featuring the virtually static
Jacob Bronoski talking to camera, against ever changing exotic
locations. There were no dramatized re-enactments or computer generated
graphics, just Bronowski speaking with passion and enthusiasm, on a subject
that he was thoroughly at home with. At the end of the viewing a spontaneous
debate broke out among the group about the merits of this kind of no nonsense
solo presentation. Some felt it was like watching paint dry, while others
appreciated the one to one dialog.

Other broadcasters from this era, with the
same kind of approach, were the historian, A.J.Taylor, Sir Kenneth Clark -
who fronted the epic series ‘Civilisation’ and Alistair Cook, with ‘The History
of America’. Comparing these
now cobwebby forms of presentation left me with the view that we are no
longer able to just listen to the eloquence of someone imparting their
knowledge. It has to be backed up by lavish CGI reconstructions leaving little
to our own imaginations. A great pity. And yes I know we've had Schama and Graham-Dixon strutting their stuff, but aren't they acting up the 'personality' aspect a little too much?

Don’t get me wrong much was lacking in
those early productions, cinematography, editing and the presenter's often
bizarre fashion sense. Shortly before
his death the artist and filmmaker Derek Jarman made a feature film called
‘Blue’ unique because it was basically a sound scape, all you were presented
with was a constant blue light, projected on to a cinema screen. What it did
was awaken your imagination to possibilities way beyond the vision of just a
single director. So the experience was different for every member of the
audience.

Meanwhile back in those black and white days of Television the
BBC had gaps between programmes which they filled with ‘intervals’. I assume
this was to give time to move things around the studio, as so much was live at
the time. These interludes would last for 5 minutes or so with featuring gently reassuring music-accompanying images of a nostalgic Britain. One in particular,
a cornfield with a looming windmill in full flight
had an almost Lynchian eeriness about it, that, as a boy, I always found disquieting.
Have a look for yourself here. And you can see
all of the others here.

If we stop for one moment to think about what makes for exceptional graphics it normally comes down to a great idea wrapped in simplicity. It is a pity that some many creative people working in television can't rediscover that simple truth.